Halloween Edition

October 2014

From Our DataOctober 9, 2014

One of the Flock

Crows and ravens aren't the only black birds getting ready for Halloween. Blackbirds across North America are starting to congregate in large flocks in preparation for their fall migration.

Have a look at these frequency maps to see which species have been reported to eBird in your area in October. Knowing which species are common will help you decide what's in that big blackbird flock you're seeing. The darker the purple, the more often the species was reported in that location.

Rusty Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbird

Common Grackle

Great-tailed Grackle

Boat-tailed Grackle

Red-winged Blackbird

Tricolored Blackbird

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Bronzed Cowbird

Shiny Cowbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

European Starling

Though not a "blackbird," the European Starling is a black bird that often associates with blackbirds and forms large flocks.

Free Download

Do you have multiple species that might be present in your location, but you can't tell which one is which? We have a special article about blackbird identification in our latest issue of Winter Bird Highlights. Download it here and learn how to distinguish Rusty Blackbirds, Brewer's Blackbirds, and Common Grackles where their ranges overlap.

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